Packer Cruise: Day One

This morning Travalon and I walked through the subtropical paradise of southern Florida about a mile to get some coffee, then we got in the car and drove to Fort Lauderdale. We parked and took the shuttle, and a guy on the shuttle informed us that the Packer Backers were only about one-sixth of the people on the ship. Here we thought the entire cruise was going to be our people! As always, there was a long line for check-in, but it went quickly, and soon we were eating lunch while gazing out at palm trees, turquoise water, and sailboats. We had to be present for the muster, and Lynn Dickey was right next to us so I got to shake his hand! After that there was a party up on the main deck, and we got to meet Paul Coffman, James Lofton, and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, and we saw Dorsey Levens but didn't meet him. Apparently there are 700 of us Packer Backers on this cruise! Travalon and I enjoyed our balcony, and I played the ukulele as we sat out there watching the boat leave Fort Lauderdale. The one thing about this cruise that didn't occur to either of us is that, since it is during Spring Break time, there are a ton of really obnoxious college kids on it. We weren't expecting that - back when we went to college, nobody could afford to take a cruise! We explored the ship, which has a lovely chapel but unfortunately no Mass tomorrow. I guess there is a non-denominational service with the Packer players tomorrow morning that I will try to attend. At dinner we sat with a lovely couple from a town about forty minutes east of us. Now I am blogging while Travalon is exploring more. Right now it is raining and lightning out, but the sea doesn't seem too rough. Hopefully that continues to be true...

Here are some pictures from the town we were staying in, I believe it was called Lake Worth. First are three different colors of bougainvillea. They had them everywhere there!

Next, some lovely golden bromeliads.

And some cute cacti!

Behold the colorful town hall of Lake Worth.

This was our view at lunchtime. I could get used to this!

Here are pictures of Travalon with two former Packers: Paul Coffman and James Lofton.

And here I am with Ha Ha Clinton-Dix!

I also made a short movie of the reggae band that greeted us as we boarded the ship, but then I read that we are not supposed to make videos of the performers. So you'll just have to imagine three Jamaican guys in yellow shirts playing reggae.

Famous Hat